Signal.



E. P. HOOVER SIGNAL.

\PPLICATION FILED ocr. 4, 1916.

1 ,232,54=9.' v Patented July 10, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

@wuwwbo a ERNEST F HooveK P. HOOVER.

SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 4. IBIS.

Patented July 10, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHET 2.

5mm ERN EST F HOOVER,

5 him 7 m a x llllll '0 [h a m m w ii: 8 H: I W m2 i; i w Al 4 AI/ A 3 4 .L .L H i 4 6 H h d 8 v ERNEST P. HOOVER, OF WILTON JUNCTION, IOWA.

SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10, 191*4.

Application filed October 4, 1916. Serial No. 123,735.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST P. Hoovnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wilton Junction, in the county of Muscatine and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Signals, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in signals and it is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved signal adapted to be applied to a vehicle and which is operated in substantially an automatic manner to give an audible indication when the vehicle is caused to travel back ward.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of this general character especially designed and adapted for use in connection with a motor-driven vehicle and wherein novel and improved means is employed coacting with the reverse lever or pedal for controlling the operation of the signal.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved signal whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device is rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advantageous for use, all as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will hereinafter be definitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in top plan illustrating a signal constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the device as disclosed in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged end elevation of the cylinder as herein embodied with the bell removed;

Fig. at is an enlarged view partly in elevation and partly in section illustrating the de vice as herein disclosed, the elevation being at the end of the cylinder opposite to that shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation illustrating certain features of the invention as herein included; and

Fig. 6 is an inside elevational view of the friction disk herein embodied, the coacting shaft being shown in section.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, C denotes the rear casing of a motordriven vehicle and \V indicates a rear wheel. L denotes a reverse lever or pedal of any ordinary or preferred construction. As the operating and controlling mechanism of the vehicle forms no particular part of my invention, it is thought that a detail description and illustration thereof is unnecessary and that diagrammatic illustration made in the accompanying drawings is sufficient for the purpose of disclosure.

1 and 2 denote coacting clamping members adapted to be engaged with the casing C adjacent an end thereof and one of said members, such as 1, is provided with an extension 8 affording a table to which is suitably al'lixed the upstanding post or arm 4-.

5 denotes a cylindrical hollow body of predetermined dimensions and closed at its opposite ends and which is hingedly engaged with the post at as indicated at 6, whereby said cylindrical body 5 is capable of swinging movement toward or from the casing C.

The body 5 is normally maintained at substantially the limit of its movement away from the casing C through the medium of the expansible member 7 herein disclosed as a conventional coil spring positioned within the body 5 and encircling a rod 8 and interposed between the stop 9 arranged at the inner end of said rod 8 and the adjacent wall of the body. The rod 8 extends exteriorly of the body 5 and is operatively engaged with the outer end portion of the post i hereinbefore referred to.

Disposed longitudinally of the cylindrical body 5 and operatively supported by the ends thereof is a shaft 10, and affixed to an extended portion thereof is the disk 11 adapted to frictionally engage the hub H of the wheel d when the body 5 is swung in a direction toward the casing C.

The opposite extended portion of the shaft is provided with a star wheel 12 engageable with an end portion of the hammer 14 coacting with the bell 15 suitably anchored to the adjacent end of the body 5. Also coacting with the hammer 1%, for a purpose which is believed to be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art to which my present invention relates, is the retractile member 16 herein disclosed as a conven tional coil spring anchored at one end to the end portion of the hammer 1st adjacent the star wheel 12, while the opposite end por tion of said member 16 is suitably anchored, as indicated at 17, to the adjacent end of the body 5.

Pivotally engaged at its heel portion with the extension is a bell crank lever 18 having one arm 19 disposed in a direction toward the body 5 and pivotally engaged with a rod 20 loosely extending within the body 5 and having its inner end portion provided with a stop 21. Interposed between the stop 21 and the adjacent wall of the body 5 is an expansible member 22 herein disclosed as a conventional coil spring encircling said rod 20 and which serves to normally maintain the arm 19 of the lever 18 at the limit of its movement toward the body 5.

Also pivota ly engaged with the outer end portion of the arm 19 is a link 23 having its opposite end portion pivotally engaged with a lug 2% extending outwardly from the body 5. It will be percelved that upon pull being imparted to the second arm 25 of the bell crank lever 18, the body 5 will be caused to swing toward the casing C and the disk .11 caused to frictionally engage the hub H of the wheel IV, whereupon it will be self-evident that the rotation of the wheel IV will cause a ringing of the bell 15.

26 denotes a flexible member suitably secured to the reverse lever or pedal L and to the coil spring 27 secured to the second arm 25 of the bell crank lever 18. By this arrangement it will be perceived that as the lever or pedal L is adjusted to cause the veh cle to travel backward, the bell 15 will be caused to sound so that an audible signal may be given. 7

The disk 11 is loosely mounted upon the shaft 10 and keyed to the shaft 10 is the ratchet 28 with which coacts the pawl 29 pivoted to the disk 11 and which is maintained constantly in engagement with the ratchet 28 through the medium of the retractile member 30 as is particularly illustrated in Fig. 6. It is to be noted that the teeth of the ratchet 28 are so disposed as to cause the disk 11 to rotate the shaft 10 when the hub H is rotated in a reverse direction. In the event, however, that the disk 11 should be brought into contact with the hub H while the vehicle is traveling forwardly, it will be seltevident that the shaft 10 will not rotate and the possibility of the bell 15 being sounded is eliminated.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a signal constructed in accordance with my invention is of an extremely simple and comparatively inexpensive nature and is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assem bled, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without material departure from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice, except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In combination with a movable element, a body mounted for movement toward or from said element, a signal carried by the body, an operating member for the signal adapted to be driven by the movable element when in contact therewith, a rod loosely disposed within the body, a rock arm operatively engaged with said rod, means for moving said rock arm, automatic means coacting with the rod for normally maintaining the rock arm at the limit of its movement toward the swinging body, and a link pivotally engaged with the rock arm and the swinging body.

2. In combination with a vehicle and a supporting wheel therefor, a post supported by the vehicle adjacent the wheel, a body hingedly engaged with the post,a signal carried by the body, operating means for the signal including a disk, means for moving the body to bring the disk in frictional contact with the wheel, and automatic means for imparting movement to the body in an opposite direction.

3; In combination with a movable element, a post supported adjacent said element, a body hingedly engaged with the post, a signal carried by the body, operating means for the signal including a disk, means for moving the body to bring the disk in frictional contact with the wheel, and automatic means for imparting movement to the body in an opposite direction.

4. In combination with a movable element, a body mounted for movement toward or from said element, a signal carried by the body, an operating member for the signal, means coacting with the operating member whereby the same operates the signal when the same is in contact with the movable element and said movable element moves in one direction and which renders the operating member inoperative upon movement of the movable member in an opposite direc. tion, and means for moving the body in a direction toward the movable element.

5. In combination with a movable element, a post supported adjacent said element, a body hi-ngedly engaged with the post, a signal carried by the body, operating means for the signal including a disk, means body in a dir etion away from the movable for moving the body to bring the disk in member.

131 frictional contact with the movable mem- In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my ber, a rod operatively engaged With the signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

5 post and extending through a Wall of the ERNEST P. HOOVER.

body, and an expansible member carried by Witnesses: said rod and coacting with said wall where- F. C. W'LCKES, by automatic movement is imparted to the L. C. VINTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

